Sheet metal receptacle closure



July 14, 1936. A. L. MEROLLE SHEET METAL RECEPTACLE CLOSURE Filed Aug.24, 1952 INVENTOR data:

P-atentecl July 14, 1936 UNITED STAT-ES PATENT oFF cE SHEET METALRECEPTACLE CLOSURE Augustus L. Merolle, Brooklyn, N. Y. ApplicationAugust 24, 1932, Serial No. 630,166 6 Claims. (01. 215-47) Thisinvention relates to a sheet metal receptacle closure of the type whichis adapted. to be fixed in sealing position upon the mouth of thereceptacle by simple downward pressure of the 5 closure against theupper annular edge of the receptacle.

An object of the invention is to provide a closure which will be ofextreme simplicity, one which willbe highly efficient in use and whichmay be produced at very small cost.

Afurther object is to so construct the closure that it may be veryeasily attached to a receptacle or removed therefrom, and so that itwill be adapted for re-use with practically the same de- 15 gree ofefiiciency as when originally used.

A further object is to so construct the closure that it will include anoutwardly bulging leafspring-like section extending annularly thereofadapted to engage resiliently against a co-opera- 0 tive interiorannular surface portion of the re- 25 leaf-spring-like section.

\ A further object is to so construct the closure and the receptaclethat they will co-operate for the efficient application and retention ofthe closure, and so that the closure will constitute an 30 unobtrusive,neat and attractive terminal or top cover for the receptacle, and sothat while the closure may be readily removed yet it will not be likelyto be accidentally detached at any time.

A further object is to so construct the closure 35 that it will includean annular part considerably further from the circumferential center ofthe closure than the annular portion of the closure which frictionallyengages the receptacle to hold the closure attached, said part beingadapted to 40 be engaged and operated for lifting the closure out offrictional engagement with the receptacle. A further object is to soconstruct the closure that it will include efficient means to preventdisplacement of the gasket employed.

A further object is to so construct the closure, with respect to thereceptacle, that the closure will include a wire edge adapted todirectly overlie the annular upper edge corner of the receptacle asa'protection for said edge corner.

5 A further object is to embodyin combination in the structure a meanswhereby air pressure within the receptacle will increase the frictionalengagement of the closure with the receptacle, also a means to preventthe frictional grip of the 55 closure becoming so tight as to producebursting of the receptacle in the event of extreme air or gas pressurewithin the receptacle, also a means whereby the rubber gasket employedwill be held against migration, and to in general provide a highlyefiicient friction closure employing a rubber 6 sealing gasket.

Other objects and aims of the invention, more or less specific thanthose referred to above, will be in part obvious and in part pointed outin the course of the following description of the ele- 10 ments,combinations, arrangements of parts and applications of principlesconstituting the invention; and the scope of protection contemplatedwill be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing which is to be taken as a part of thisspecification, and in which I have shown merely a preferred form ofembodiment of the invention:--

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, through aclosure constructed in accord- 0 ance with this invention and showingthe same as it appears when in attached relation upon a receptacle.

Fig. 2 is a partial top plan view of the structure appearing in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic sectional view similar to Fig. 1, but on areduced scale, illustrating a modified arrangement of parts of theclosure and the receptacle, and

Fig. 4 is a partial top plan view, also on a similar reduced scale, ofthe structure appearing in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing for describing in detail the structure asillustrated therein, the reference character L indicates the neck orupper portion of a glass or like receptacle, such as is commonly usedfor the preservation of jellies and preserves.

The reference character G indicates generally the closure hereconcerned. V 40 The reference character H indicates a gasket of rubberor rubber-like material carried by the closure G and positioned toengage the flat upper annular edge surface I of the receptacle toconstitute an air tight seal between the receptacle and the closure.

The interior annular surface of the receptacle L, at the upper edgeportion thereof, is formed with a slight under-cut annular groovetherein as at 2. This groove is so formed that its upper portionprovides an annular surface as 3 which flares at a slight angledownwardly and outwardly from a ridge portion as 4 which, being ofrelatively a slightly less diameter than the bottom or largest diameterof the groove, overhangs the groove.

Above the ridge 4 the material of the receptacle is rounded upwardly andoutwardly so as to merge into the surface I and to provide a properlyinclining curved surface 5 leading from said surface I inwardly anddownwardly to the ridge 4.

Below its region of greatest diameter the wall of the groove 2 is curvedgracefully inwardly and downwardly so as to merge into the main innersurface as 6 of the receptacle without the formation of any abruptcorners or shoulders which might be difficult to clean and which mightinterfere with attachment, and re-attachment,. of the closure.

The exterior annular surface of the receptacle, v

at the upper edge portion thereof, is curved outwardly and downwardlyfrom surface I so as to provide an inclined guiding surface as I leadingto an annular relatively vertical wall portion 8 which forms one wall ofan annular corner groove 9, the other wall, as I0, facing upwardly andthereby offering a supporting surface for a tool which may be utilizedin removing the closure as will be presently referred to.

The closure G is formed from a single disc of thin sheet metal. Informing the closure the material of the disc is pressed or bent so thatit provides an annular wall portion as II disposed for overlying theupper annular edge surface I of the receptacle. Inwardly of the portionII the material of the disc is bent downwardly to provide a relativelyvertical inner annular wall I2 adapted to extend into the mouth of thereceptacle, and outwardly of the portion II the material of the disc isbent downwardly to provide a relatively'vertical outer annular wall I3adapted to extend into the corner groove 9 of the receptacle, said twowalls I2 and I3 being adapted thereby to lap about opposite surfaces ofthe wall of the receptacle and to provide a downwardly opening channelbetween them for containing the gasket H which rests against theunder-surface of the wall portion II within the annular groove orchannel provided between the walls I 2 and I3.

The central portion as I4 of the material of the disc stands somewhatbelow the portion I I and is connected with'said portion II by theannular Wall I2, said portion I4 being adapted to stand within the mouthof the receptacle when the closure is attached.

The construction and form of the wall I2 is of the utmost importance tothe successful manufacture and use of this closure, and in thisconnection it is noted that said wall is carefully shaped so as to bulgeoutwardly for the greater portion of its vertical height. This bulge isdesigned so that, between the points indicated I5 and I6 thereon, itconstitutes in cross section a substantially vertically disposed annularleaf spring section which, when the closure is attached, is adapted toengage against the wall of groove 2 of the receptacle at or about themid portion in the height of said leaf-spring section, as indicatedatI1, and against the downwardly and outwardly inclining annular surface 3of the groove. I5-I6 exerted constantly outwardly against the incliningsurface 3 tends to draw the closure always downwardly into tighterengagement of the gasket against the receptacle.

The resiliency of the leaf spring section I5l6 also enables said sectionto yield radially inwardly to a sufficient degree to pass the ridge 4when the closure is being attached to or removed from the receptacle.

Resiliency of the leaf spring section.

It will be observed that in the drawing, pressing or spinning operation,which is used in displacing i the central portion I4 of the closure fromthe plane of the portion I I and to provide the wall I2, in themanufacture of this closure, the material of the disc which constitutesthe wall I2 is considerably stretched and manipulated so that in thecompleted closure the material which constitutes the spring section ofthis wall is of a different character from the material of the re--mainder of the closure. The stretching to which the section I5--IG hasbeen subjected has rendered it more resilient and springy and therebybetter adapted to serve as a leaf spring in the manner herein explained.

It is noted further that the portion of the closure which constitutesthe junction between the lower annular edge of the leaf spring sectionI5I6 and the outer annular edge of the central portion I4, as at theregion indicated I6 in Fig. l, is on a curve of considerable radius andis at a location widely removed from the point as I! where the leafspring section engages the wall of the receptacle so that there is avery considerable degree of resiliency provided between the annular edgeof the central portion I4 and the region where the closure engagesagainst the inner surface of the receptacle. This is important in thatit provides for the resilient absorption in the spring section I5I6, andin said lower curved junction portion, of strains which would otherwisebe imposed upon the material of the'receptacle due to expansion andcontraction of the portion I4 under changes of temperature, etc.

It will also be noted that the portion of the closure which constitutesthe junction between the upper annular edge of the leaf spring sectionI5I6 and the annular wall portion II, as at the region indicated I5 inFig. 1, is at a location widely removed from the point as H where theleaf spring section engages the wall of the receptacle and is curved andmerged into the wall II and extends upwardly from the point I 5 forapproximately the thickness of the gasket H, thereby providing a certaindesirable amount of resiliency between the point I! and the wall II,which resiliency is also important in that it provides for the resilientabsorption in the spring section I5IB, and in the upper curved junctionportion, of strains which would otherwise be imposed upon the materialof the receptacle due to expansion and contraction of the annular wallportion II under changes of temperature, etc.

The spring action of the section I5I6 exerted against the ridge 4 as theclosure is being applied onto the receptacle provides for a. snapengagement of the closure onto the receptacle, and insures amplefrictional tightness to hold the closure against accidentaldisplacement.

The spring section I5I6 is intended to be sufficiently soft so thatwhile it will readily pass the ridge 4 and still provide amplefrictional engagement with the surface portion 3 of the receptacle, tohold the closure tightly connected with the receptacle yet it does notexert a too great bursting strain against the material of the receptacleat any time, and. this degree of softness is obtained both by the shapeand manner of forming the leaf spring section itself and by the shapeand proportions of the parts which constitute the junctions between theleaf spring section and the walls II and I4.

The outer annular wall I3 is carefully designed to perform severalimportant functions. Particularly, in addition to completing the annulargroove for the gasket H, it rests in engagement with the annular wallsurface 8 of the receptacle so as to re-inforce said wall against thebursting strains imposed upon the glass by the spring section l-l6 ofthe closure. And it provides an outwardly flaring annular flange portionas l8 spaced above the surface ID of the corner groove of the receptacleand co-operative with said surface III to enable the removal of theclosure by a suitable tool, such as a knife blade or the like betweensaid flange and said surface ill to pry the closure upwardly. And itsextreme annular edge portion is turned over upon itself to at once hidethe raw edge of the metal and provide a wire edge" as I9 upon theclosure which greatly strengthens the wall l3 and the flange portion l8in the performance of their offices and adds materially to the inherentstiffness and strength of the closure at all times. The "wire edge" l9also completes a desirably smooth and attractive margin for the closure,and standing, as it does in use, at the upper annular corner of thereceptacle, it provides a suitably resilient buffer edge at said cornerof the receptacle to protect the comer of the receptacle against injurysuch as might result from accidental blows directed against said corner.

The wire edge is preferably disposed so that in use it stands within thecorner groove 9, and inside of the plane of the outer annular edge ofthe surface iii of said groove so that it will not be likely to beaccidentally engaged by a foreign object which might tend to lift thewire edge upwardly away from the surface ill.

While the point of engagement between the inner surface of the wall l3of the closure and the wall 8 of the receptacle may be sufficiently farclown along the height of the wall 8 so that it will serve as africtional means to hold the closure onto the receptacle, yet this pointof engagement is preferably at a location sufiiciently near to the uppersurface I of the receptacle so that although the engagement will operateto suitably re-inforce the receptacle against bursting strains from thespring section l5-I6 it will not operate as a frictional engagement tohold the closure onto the receptacle.

The frictional retention of the closure onto the receptacle ispreferably accomplished wholly between the receptacle and the leafspring section IE-IG. This leaf spring section being relatively nearerto the center of the closure than the flange l8 of wall i3 it will beapparent that the the gasket H at a point below the gasket and thusconstitutes a means to prevent displacement of the gasket out of thechannel.

A closure constructed as herein disclosed has all of its parts soco-related and balanced with respect to each other as to produce ahighly eflicientreceptacle seal notwithstanding its simplicity and itsattractive appearance. In order to obtain the best results the closuremay be made of sheet metal considerably thinner than sheet metalordinarily used for closures of corresponding diametric size, and theoperations employed in the manufacture are simple and of well knownstandard character. Hence the closure may be produced at very smallcost.

In attaching the closure the guide'surfaces 5 and 'I of the receptacleare engaged by the leaf spring section and by the wall l3 respectively.The leaf spring section first engages the guide surface 5 and so centersthe closure with respect to the receptacle that as the leaf springsection is snapped down past the ridge 4 the wall II will be guided toand along the surface I into its final position with the wire edgeoutside of the wall 8 as a guard for the edge corner of the receptacle.

When force is applied beneath the flange or wire edge iii-l9 to lift theclosure from the receptacle said force is applied in such closeproximity to the sealing gasket II that the first stage of upwardmovement of the closure will destroy the seal between the gasket and thereceptacle, even though the amount of movement may at this time havebeen almost imperceptible at the point of frictional engagement betweenthe receptacle and the leaf spring section l5l6. Hence the further forceapplied to lift the closure is exerted almost Wholly in sliding the leafspring section along the inner surface of the receptacle, and little ornone of the continuing force is required to disconnect the gasket fromthe material of the receptacle.

,- The part of the closure which extends into the receptacle, althoughmade of unusually thin and weak sheet metal, is yet of such relativelysmall diameter as compared with its depth into the receptacle that itwill not be likely to become distorted during the removal of the closurefrom the receptacle, and hence it will be readily capable of being againinserted into the receptacle as many times as may be required during thereuse of the closure.

Also, the wire edge so strengthens the portion of the closure radiallyoutside of that portion which extends into the receptacle, and is insuch close proximity to the sealing gasket, that it will operate toprevent any material distortion of the outer portion of the closureduring the removal of the closure.

The modified structure shown in the illustrations Figs. 3 and 4 proposesthat if desired certain features may be incorporated into the closure.These features include, first, a means whereby any excess of air or gaspressure which may be present or which may be generated withinthereceptacle will operate to increase the frictional grip of theclosure upon the receptacle so that instead of causing unintentionaldisplacement of the closure it will only lock the closure moreefficiently onto the receptacle, except that if a dangerous excess ofair or gas pressure should be generated the effect thereof will, insteadof causing an eventighter grip of the closure onto the receptacle, nowcause the frictional grip to become weakened so that if sufficientpressure be finally generated the closure will become displaced, insteadof said pressure causing the bursting of the receptacle. This meansconsists simply in making the central portion as 14 of the closure tobulge normally downwardly, as indicated in Fig. 2, and to besuificiently resilient so that it may be flexed upwardly to or near theflat horizontal plane illustrated in Fig. 1 under any air or gaspressure which may ordinarily be generated within the receptacle.

It will be understood that straightening of the wall I! in this mannerwill increase its diameter, also that the straightening movement will.

gas pressure within the receptacle becomes,

sufficiently great to flex the wall I above a flat condition, that is tocause it to become flexed upwardly, then the consequent reduction indiametcr of the wall M will tend to reduce the pressure of the springsection l5-l6 against the receptacle in proportion as the air pressureand the consequent convexing of wall l4 increases. In this connection itis noted that the presence of the wall II and its connection with theupper annu'lar edge portion of the leaf spring section I5-l6 acts as aneifective deterrent against radial outward flexing of the leaf springsection such as tends to be increased when the wall I4 becomes convexedupwardly.

Second, a means to prevent migration of the material of the sealinggasket H out of sealing position, and to insure a highly eflicient sealof the closure. This means consists in so forming the material of thereceptacle and that of the closure that the channel provided betweenthem for containing the gasket will be reduced, cross sectionally, atthe inner and outer radial edges of said channel, and of providing asmall annular rib as 20 in the material of the wall portion ll of theclosure to project downwardly into the gasket channel so as to sink intothe material of the gasket. In the drawing, Fig. 3, the wall portion llof the closure, instead of being fiat as in Fig. l, is shown as beingslightly radially concaved on its under surface so that its oppositeannular edge portions as at El and 22 stand relatively nearer to theopposing edge portions as 23 and 2d of the receptacle than does thecentral annular portion of said wall containing the rib Ell. The drawingalso suggests that if desired the upper annular edge surface of thereceptacle may be I radially concaved as at 25 so that its oppositeannular edge portions as 23 and 2 3 project upwardly into a closeproximity with the portions 2i and 22 of the wall ii, the upper annularedge surface of the receptacle and the under annular surface of the wallit being thus oppositely concaved and thereby defining an annular gasketre eeiving cavity between said surfaces of convexo convex radial crosssection.

When the closure is pressed onto the receptacle the bulk of the gasketmaterial will be urged toward the annular center of the gasket channeland confined and compressed in the vicinity of the rib 20, instead ofbeing urged to flatten out from between the walls l and l l as is thecase in the structure illustrated in Fig. 1.

Third, a means whereby to prevent distortion of the closure incident tothe application of pressure downwardly thereagainst when the closure isbeing attached-to a receptacle. This means consists in forming theportion of the closure which constitutes the junction between the wallsii and it so that said portion is vertically corrugated as at 26 andthereby stiffened and made rigid against any tendency of said portion tobecome flattened out when the attaching pressure is exerted against thewall I l. The corrugations 26 merge into the wire edge and constitute ineffect an extension and enlargement of the stiffening eflect of saidwire edge right up to, and into the wall I l. The corrugations alsoprovide a formidable arm or directly at the annular edge corner of thereceptacle, co-operative with the wire edge to at all times save theannular edge of the receptacle from harm.

As many changes could be made in this construction without departingfrom the scope of the invention, as defined in the following claims, itis intended that all matter contained in the above description, or shownin the accompanying drawing, shall be interpreted as illustrative onlyand not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A receptacle closure comprising a single piece of sheet metal bent toprovide a relatively fiat horizontal annular top wall portion to overliethe upper annular edge of a receptacle, an outer annular wall portiondepending from the outer margin of said top wall portion to extenddownwardly outside the said receptacle, a dependent annular wall portionto extend relatively vertically downwardly into the receptacle from theinner annular edge of the top wall portion, and a central relativelyhorizontal wall portion adapted to stand within the mouth of thereceptacle in continuation of the lower annular edge of said dependentwall said dependent wall serving to connect the central wall with thetop wall, said dependent wall being bulged radially outwardly to disposethe annular mid-portion of its heighth radially furthest from the centerof the closure for engaging against the inner surface of the receptacle,and said dependent wall being of a heighth and character rendering itssaid annular mid-portion resiliently yieldable radially of the closurein a manner to constitute said dependent wall as an annular springsection of the closure adapted by frictional engagement with the innersurface of the receptacle to yieldably hold the closure attached to thereceptacle, said top wall being substantially unyieldable radially ofthe closure and by its connection with the spring section co-operatingwith the central wall to support and stiffen the spring section.

2. A receptacle closure comprising a single piece of sheet metal bent toprovide a relatively horizontal, flat, annular top wall portion tooverlie the upper annular edge of a receptacle, an outer annular wallportion depending from the outer margin of said top wall portion toextend downwardly outside the said receptacle, a dependent annular wallportion to extend relatively vertically downwardly into the receptaclefrom the inner annular edge of the top wall portion, and a centralrelatively horizontal wall portion adapted to stand within the mouth ofthe receptacle in continuation of the lower annular edge of saiddependent wall said dependent wall serving to connect the central wallwith the top wall, said dependent wall being bulged radially outwardlyto dispose the annular mid-portion of its heighth radially furthest fromthe center of the closure for engaging against the inner surface of thereceptacle, said dependent wall being of a heighth and characterrendering its said annular midportion resiliently yieldable radially ofthe closure in a manner to constitute said dependent wall as an annularspring section of the closure adapted by frictional engagement with theinner surface of the receptacle to yieldably hold the closure attachedto the receptacle, and said central wall being flexible for movement bypressure from. within the receptacle and its connection with saiddependent wall being of a character to move radially outwardly theannular mid-portion of said dependent wall for thereby increasing thefrictional grip of said mid-portion against the receptacle incident tomovement of the central wall by pressure from within the receptacle.

3. A receptacle closure comprising a single piece of sheet metal bent toprovide a relatively horizontal, fiat, annular top wall portion tooverlie the upper annular edge of a receptacle, an outer annular wallportion depending from the outer margin of said top wall portion toextend downwardly outside the said receptacle, a dependent annular wallportion to extend relatively vertically downwardly into the receptaclefrom the inner annular edge of the top. wall portion, and

a central relatively horizontal wall portion adapted to stand within themouth of the receptacle in continuation of the lower annular edge ofsaid dependent wall said dependent wall serving to connect the centralwall with the top wall, said dependent wall being bulged radiallyoutwardly to dispose the annular mid-portion of its heighth radiallyfurthest from the center of the closure for engaging against the innersurface of the receptacle, said dependent wall being of a heighth andcharacter rendering its said annular midportion resiliently yieldableradially of the closure in a manner to constitute said dependent wall asan annular spring section of the closure adapted by frictionalengagement with the inner surface of the receptacle to yieldably holdthe closure attached to the receptacle, and said central wall beingflexible for movement by pressure from within the receptacle and itsshape and manner of connection with said dependent wall being of acharacter to first move radially outwardly and then inwardly the annularmidportion of said dependent wall for thereby first increasing and thenreducing the frictional grip of said mid-portion against the receptacleas movement of said central wall by pressure from within the receptacleprogresses.

4. A receptacle closure comprising a single piece of sheet metal bent toprovide a relatively horizontal, flat, annular top wall portion tooverlie the upper annular edge of a receptacle, an outer annular wallportion depending from the outer margin of said top wall portion toextend downwardly outside the said receptacle, a dependent annular wallportion to extend relatively vertically downwardly into the receptaclefrom the inner annular edge of the top wall portion, and a centralrelatively horizontal wall portion adapted to stand within the mouth ofthe receptacle in continuation of the lower annular edge of saiddependent wall said dependent wall serving to connect the central wallwith the top wall, said dependent wall being bulged radially outwardlyto dispose the annular mid portion of its height radially furthest fromthe center of the closure for engaging against the inner surface of thereceptacle, said dependent wall being of a heighth and characterrendering its said annular midportion resiliently yieldable radially ofthe closure in a manner to constitute said dependent wall as an annularspring section of the closure adapted by frictional engagement with theinner surface of the receptacle to yieldably hold the closure attachedto the receptacle, and said central wall being normally convexeddownwardly from its juncture with the dependent wall but beingresiliently flexible upwardly by pressure from within the closure andits connection with said dependent wall being of a character to flexradially'outwardly the annular mid-portion of said dependent wall forthereby increasing the frictional grip of said mid-portion against thereceptacle incident to upward flexing of said central wall.

5. A receptacle closure comprising a single piece of sheet metal havingits central portion pressed out of the plane of its marginal portionthereby providing a stretched portion of the material of said sheet as aconnecting wall between the outer edge of the central portion and theinner edge of the marginal portion, the marginal portion being fiat andextending laterally outwardly from said wall as a reinforcing flangethereon, and said wall being bulged between said central and marginalportions as a spring section for resilient frictional engagement with areceptacle wall to yieldingly retain the closure upon the receptacle andsaid closure having a depending wall at the outer margin of saidmarginal portion, said depending wall being adapted to engage theoutside of the receptacle.

6. A receptacle closure comprising a single piece of sheet metal bent toprovide a relatively horizontal annular top wall portion to overlie theupper annular edge of a receptacle, an outer annular wall portiondepending from the outer margin of said top wall portion to extenddownwardly outside the said receptacle, a dependent annular wall portionto extend relatively vertically downwardly into the receptacle from theinner annular edge of the top wall portion, and a central relativelyhorizontal wall portion adapted to stand within the mouth of thereceptacle, the top wall being fiat and extending laterally outwardly asa re-inforcing flange at the upper annular edge of the dependent wall, agasket beneath said flange surrounding said dependent wall, and saiddependent wall being bulged radially outwardly beneath said gasket inengagement therewith so as to retain said gasket and being resilient soas to constitute an annularspring section for resilient frictionalengagement against the inner surface of the receptacle wall toyieldingly retain the closure upon the receptacle. l

AUGUSTUS L. MEROLLE.

